Enugu Air Jet Overshoots Benin Runway in Heavy Rain; All 68 On Board Safe

A routine Lagos-to-Benin flight ended with an Embraer E170 sitting nose-deep in the grass beyond Runway 05 on Wednesday afternoon after it overran the landing strip in heavy rain.

The aircraft, Enugu Air Flight 4264 with registration 5N-ENR, touched down at Benin Airport at 3:10 p.m. local time carrying 63 passengers and five crew members. It failed to stop on the paved surface, rolling past the threshold and onto soft ground. No one on board was reported injured, and the airline and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau both confirmed there were no fatalities.

NSIB investigators were on the ground within minutes. The bureau’s Director-General, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., said the speed of the response reflected the readiness of the agency’s Go Team. “While we are relieved that everyone is safe, every runway excursion is a serious occurrence that deserves a thorough and independent investigation,” Badeh said. He asked the public to avoid speculation while investigators work, adding that a preliminary report would be released within 30 days as required by regulation.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and airport authorities have been notified, and the aircraft has been secured.

Residents living near the perimeter fence described a loud sound that cut through the rain. Michael Udoh, who lives a few hundred metres from the runway, said he heard a bang that made him think something had dropped from the sky. “I came out and saw the plane on the ground. I just thanked God nobody died,” he said.

Another witness, Moses Idowu, was inside his shop close to the airport when he saw the aircraft descending. “The plane came down, then went up again a little, like the pilot was trying to power out of trouble, then it dropped again,” Idowu said. “Rain was falling heavily. Something fell from the plane, it could have been a part of the landing gear or a panel, but we saw debris.” He added that the engine did not sound normal in the final seconds.

In the hours after the incident, unconfirmed reports circulated that a small number of passengers were taken to a private hospital for checks, though the NSIB maintained that no injuries were logged. Families began arriving at the airport gates soon after the news spread, with security personnel holding back a growing crowd as evening set in.